Drinking buddies let down the game that helped pick them back up

'From booze brothers to Blues brothers,'' said one member of the NSW coaching staff, reading the back page of Monday's Herald at the team hotel. ''I suppose tomorrow's headline will say 'And back to booze brothers again'.''

By Brad Walter

18 June 2013 — 3:00am

'From booze brothers to Blues brothers,'' said one member of the NSW coaching staff, reading the back page of Monday's Herald at the team hotel. ''I suppose tomorrow's headline will say 'And back to booze brothers again'.''

Less than a week after North Queensland prop James Tamou was stood down from Origin II after being charged with drink-driving, NSW have lost a second player to an alcohol-fuelled incident.

More importantly, the good news stories about the redemption of Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson after their well-documented roof-top drinking session in Canberra at the start of the season have been put on hold - possibly forever.

Just three months after their careers were at the crossroads when the Raiders sacked Dugan and suspended Ferguson, the pair had an opportunity to be heroes by helping the Blues end seven years of Origin failure by winning in Brisbane next Wednesday night.

Booze brothers: Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson.

Photo: Twitter: @fergyferg2

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After being chosen for Origin I, Ferguson was told by family members, including Anthony Mundine, that he had the opportunity to be a role model and leader for indigenous youth.

Dugan's selection on Sunday prompted NSW coach Laurie Daley to say that one of the great things about the game is that ''we are very supportive of people who make mistakes and if they are willing to work hard and get themselves back on track there is opportunities for them''.

But Ferguson and Dugan couldn't even wait until they got into camp before hitting the drink together. In doing so they let down not only the Blues and those who have stood by them through everything, but the game itself.

At a time when former NRL boss David Gallop is riding a high from the positive vibe around the Socceroos in his role as Football Federation Australia chief executive, his successor Dave Smith is dealing with the same behavioural problems that had confronted Gallop for the past 10 years.

It is holding up reforms to the game as Smith and chief operating officer Jim Doyle are kept busy with off-field incidents rather than issues such as the second-tier salary cap.

For those who have covered the game during that period, the mood surrounding the NSW camp on Monday was like that in 2004 when Mark Gasnier was stood down after using Anthony Minichiello's phone to make a lewd call to a woman during a drunken bonding session.

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A media session scheduled for 10am on Monday was repeatedly pushed back as NSW officials were contacted by police about allegations of indecent assault levelled against Ferguson, and considered how to deal with the developing crisis. Eventually, Daley read a statement and it was decided that the other members of the team would do interviews as if it was business as usual.

However, a planned training session had to be cancelled due to injuries and the unavailability of Ferguson and Dugan, who were spoken to by police. The pair were also kept out of a Born To Be Blue coaching clinic for junior players.